Thomas Morstead

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Thomas Morstead's one-year, $1.26M deal with the 49ers earns an A+ CVI despite the harsh organizational treatment that followed — this was elite value for elite production from a 40-year-old specialist. The longtime veteran delivered A+ performance across 17 games this season, proving that even deep into his 17th NFL season, he remains one of the league's most reliable punters. At just over $1.2M annually, San Francisco secured premium special teams production at a fraction of what middling punters command on the open market, making this one of the better value plays at the position. However, the brutal sentiment surrounding his departure reveals the harsh reality for NFL specialists — despite his consistent excellence, the 49ers quickly moved on to Corliss Waitman without any fanfare or recognition of Morstead's contributions. The media's complete focus on his replacement rather than celebrating a successful veteran tenure shows how quickly franchises discard even their most productive specialists. This short-term deal provided maximum flexibility while delivering top-tier results, but the cold organizational exit suggests Morstead's days of being valued appropriately may be numbered despite his continued elite play.

Performance Analysis

Thomas Morstead remains one of the most quietly elite specialists in the NFL, a 17-year veteran who has defied the conventional aging curve for punters and continues to deliver at an A+ level entering his age-40 season with the San Francisco 49ers. Selected in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of SMU, Morstead built his legend in New Orleans before continuing to prove his value across multiple franchises, establishing himself as one of the most respected and reliable punters of his generation — a player in the mold of Shane Lechler in terms of sustained excellence and longevity. His current performance grade of A+ is not a fluke or a small-sample aberration; it reflects a sustained three-year run of elite-level play, with consecutive A+ grades in 2023, 2024, and 2025, a trajectory that speaks to remarkable consistency at a position where most players are long retired by his age. For a 49ers team that prizes field position and complementary football under their coaching staff, Morstead functions as a genuine weapon rather than merely a roster necessity. What separates Morstead from his peers is the combination of precision, hang time, and directional control that has defined his craft across nearly two decades of NFL competition. His availability has been exceptional, appearing in all 17 games this season against an NFL average of 14 games per season, demonstrating the durability and professionalism that coaches value in a veteran specialist. His career passer rating of 118.8 on fake punt attempts — connected on 100 percent of his passes at 18.0 yards per attempt — underscores his football IQ and the trust his coaching staff places in him in high-leverage moments. There are no meaningful weaknesses to identify in his current profile; if anything, the question isn't whether Morstead is performing well, but how long he can sustain this level. At 40, Morstead is writing the final chapter of what should be a Hall of Fame-caliber career at the specialist position, and the only thing worth watching next season is whether the physical demands of the role begin to show any erosion in net average or directional accuracy. If he can maintain his current standard through 2025, he will have authored one of the most impressive late-career runs in NFL punting history, a testament to elite conditioning and football craft.

Current Sentiment

Thomas Morstead's public standing has collapsed to its lowest point in a decorated 17-year career, with the narrative around the 40-year-old veteran defined entirely by replacement rather than respect. The 49ers made no attempt to obscure their intentions — credible reports confirm San Francisco is moving on in favor of Corliss Waitman, the former Steelers punter, framing the decision as a straightforward roster upgrade rather than any meaningful personnel loss. What makes this particularly striking is the disconnect between perception and production: Morstead's performance grade remains an A+, meaning he's being shown the door not because his play has slipped but because the team clearly prioritizes cost and age over demonstrated output. Media and fan reaction has been almost clinical in its indifference, with coverage treating his departure as routine housekeeping rather than the end of a significant chapter for the franchise. The broader offseason activity in San Francisco — re-signing linemen, adding depth pieces across multiple positions — signals a team methodically reshaping its roster, and Morstead simply didn't fit the calculus going forward. Heading into the 2026 season without a team, his narrative is now shaped almost exclusively by the uncomfortable reality that specialists, no matter how accomplished, are perpetually one younger alternative away from irrelevance in today's NFL.